William John Quinn
William J. Quinn | |
---|---|
Born | University of St. Thomas | May 8, 1911
Occupation(s) | Railroad executive, attorney |
Years active | 1930s–1978 |
William John Quinn (May 8, 1911 – October 24, 2015) was an American railroad executive. He was an attorney for the
Early life and education
Born in
Career
After law school, Quinn worked in private law practice in Minnesota and as an assistant U.S. attorney.[1] He then took a job with the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad as an in-house attorney. During World War II, Quinn was posted to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a counterespionage agent.[1] After the war, he returned to the Soo Line.[1]
In 1954 the Milwaukee Road recruited Quinn to join the railroad as a general solicitor.[1] By 1958 he had risen up to become the railroad's president. Quinn left the Milwaukee Road in 1966 to become president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. He returned to the Milwaukee Road in 1970 as chairman, shortly after the CB&Q merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad.[1] Quinn was the last leader of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad and was involved in its notorious scheme of de-electrification in 1972, right before the 1973 oil crisis. This and the general collapse of the road in the 1960s led to the final bankruptcy of the famous Milwaukee Road.
Quinn retired in 1978. He died in Glenview, Illinois at the age of 104.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Goldsborough, Bob (2015-11-18). "William J. Quinn, railroad executive, dies at 104". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- Milwaukee Road in the 70's: What really happened? from Trainweb
- Presidential Turntable (Time Magazine article from Oct. 21, 1966
- Biography of William John Quinn